I think inspiration runs in a circular motion so here’s to hoping I can inspire all the incredible gals as much as they all inspire me. Badass Women is a series about capturing that positive energy and spreading it. Wanna help? Read about these cool girls and share their features with the women that inspire you!!

I started this series a year ago when I launched my blog. Over the past 12 months I have connected with over a dozen women from several different countries in a pursuit to promote female creativity and achievements through inspiring interviews. I have reconnected with all of these amazing girls to check in and see how their views and passions have developed and to share with you a special retrospective edition of the Badass Women series in celebration of the one year anniversary of my blog.

Dominga Silva Vicuña

I last interviewed Dominga in February 2017 ((before the blog was even launched!!)) To view the interview that started it all click here.

What is your relationship with beauty? Has it changed over the year?

Since I was a little girl, my mother taught me that you need to always be nice, you need to look good to feel good with you. She told me once that you need to work on your inside and your outside beauty, both are important. This year I started to use some face creams, and practice sports 3 time per week. ​

What is your best memory from the past year?

My trips!! ​

​You have been traveling a lot this year, what has that experience been like? What have you learned from the world and the places you have been.

I love travel! When I was in The US I traveled a lot and visited many places in California and other cities like New York and Hawaii. This year I went to Europe for one month. I went to London, Edinburg, Amsterdam, Barcelona, and Madrid. I was visiting some friends!! It was amazing, I love visiting different countries and learning about different cultures. Before a trip, I always “study” about the places that I’ll visit, I make a list with the places that I want to know and I make an itinerary with all the things that I need to do in each day. In all my trips I learn many things, I learn about the history, the people, and the culture. I also practiced my photography. :)​

​Noëlle Reich

​I last interviewed Noëlle in March 2017. To view her previous interview please click here.

​What new passions have you discovered this year?

For me, this has been a year of learning to believe in myself and my abilities, and in the process of doing that, I’ve started to pursue passions that have excited me for a long time. I’ve been experimenting with film photography and different styles of writing. I’ve gotten more decisive about my stylistic choices involving everything from clothing to the mediums I use to make art. But I think the biggest passion I have discovered is a love for acting. I feel a lot and think a lot, so it’s been really cool to watch how that can be channeled into playing different roles. I’ve started in intensive classes, and showing up scares the hell out of me but also pushes me. I think it’s important to challenge yourself, because it proves that you are capable of way more than you thought. I’ll be challenging myself even more by my big move to New York coming up in June. My motto of the year is “life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all…” so I’m trying to live by that as much as possible.​

What is your relationship with beauty? Has it changed over the year?

I think my relationship with beauty can be summed up by this: beautiful people are those who choose to see the best in others. A pretty face is a dime a dozen. What are you doing to impact the world? How do you make other people feel? I think it’s a bit extreme to say that ‘beauty’ as a concept is overrated, but I think it is when it comes to how we view ourselves. Maybe we should just spend more time looking for it in others and in the world around us.​

Korina Day

I last interviewed Korina in March 2017. To view her previous interview click here.

What is your relationship with beauty? Has it changed over the year?

My relationship with beauty has possibly changed a bit. Moving to Big Bear really taught me that I do not need anything extra to lighten my looks, but just the colors of nature I am able to absorb instead. Keeping natural really allows me to focus on more important issues. Keeping active in the mountain also heightens my physical confidence to be able to tackle anything.

What is your best memory from this past year?

My best memory this past year was a time I have always loved; working at a sleep away summer camp. During this summer in Big Bear I was able to be a mentor to some amazing children and I created lots of friendships as well. While I was in such an uplifting environment, I met my new and current girlfriend and have continued to keep having some awesome moments.​

Jenny Jimenez

I last interviewed Jenny in April 2017. To view her previous interview please click here.

What new passions have you discovered this year?

A new passion I’ve discovered this year is connections. As confusing or silly as that sounds, I really value creating meaningful connections and finding ways to be more intentional with people to build a more authentic connection. I am a huge people person. These relationships I’m referring to start with little kiddies I babysit. Seeing the biggest smiles from them when cooking their favorite meals, feeling the invisible magnets that always draw our hands together when walking on sidewalks, and sweet moments that create a closeness between us so they just want to sleep on my chest when they’re sick… this trust and love that I feel from them all originates back to one simple connection. It’s taking these connections we make and treating them like just planted seeds, caring for them, giving effort to seeing them grow and ultimately blossom to moments of authenticity and love. Although my youngest connections start with kids they spread out to many others: colleagues, friends, family and of course, lovers. Every relationship is different and requires different care, light, and love. But I’ve found that the fruits beared from these cared for connections are always the sweetest.

​What is your relationship with beauty? Has it changed over the year?

My relationship with beauty is a choice to pursue everyday. I’ve decided it’s my choice to decide to see the traces of beauty weaved into my being and this world or to focus on the faults and failures—some days our relationship is great and some days are struggles. It ultimately depends on where I decide to set my gaze. Over the past year I think that my “idea” of beauty has altered and become more inclusive. More inclusive with people, places, and things like my grandma’s old lamp or the freckle above my left eyebrow.​

Miranda de Moraes

I last interviewed Miranda in April 2017. To view her previous interview please click here.

What new passions have you developed this year?

I’m not sure where to begin. Through my internship with Food and Water Watch, I scored hundreds of petition signatures, contributing to the 6:1 Santa Barbara County passing of a resolution to ban off-shore oil fracking. In spearheading this campaign in the community, I realized my intense interest in environmental conservation and policy.

From studying abroad in Barcelona this past summer with numerous Syrian refugees, I was made aware of severe foreign injustices and became inspired to pursue international relations. I earned a certificate there in Content Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) rousing a passion in education and foreign language. From visiting eight different countries that summer, my cultural awareness broadened immensely and love of “the diversiform” blossomed.

I began the greatest job possible at the Isla Vista Food Cooperative, where I have been able to meet the most fascinating and enlightening people. From artists to gardeners to monks, I have been able to profit in every way from rewarding conversations contrived merely at check-out. The philosophy of this Co-Op has heavily impacted my life, encouraging me to seek out equality and connection in everything I do.

My spirituality developed immensely throughout the course of this year. Through conscious investment in introspective expansion, I have become that much closer to unearthing my root, my cause, my being. I grew obsessed with The Enneagram, a book about egos and personalities, a faculty that inspired intra-reflection. Nonetheless, I still cannot espouse such a diagnosis nor commit to a single philosophy, given we are ever-changing and commitment is limiting. Nonetheless, in understanding tendencies, I endeavor to expedite the quest to self realization, actualization, and liberation.​

What is your relationship with beauty? Has it changed over the year?

The inherent idea of beauty is a uniquely human experience. As creatures sensitive to time, cause, and effect, beauty reveals itself to us through permutations in nature and society—frozen moments compiled in one ever-changing masterpiece; artwork exclusively perceivable to our human senses. From a positivist standpoint, beauty not only exists, but is accessible ubiquitously. I still believe this to be the case, but my definition for beauty, like my being, has cured and amplified.

With an “intellectualized” mindset, beauty is absent and the workings of the world just are. To think objectively must be taught—yet is the goal to become less passionate, less vigorous… less human? Are objectivity and insignificance inherently beautiful? No. Oblivion may be perfection, but beauty must be subjective. Only when socialization shatters can our warped minds truly unhinge and sincerely perceive what is gloriously intertwined: what is beautiful to our individual senses.​

How has CAJU bedding grown/developed over the year?

CAJU has absolutely blossomed over the course of this year. I introduced several new products for sale, a popular item being CAJU sachets. Sachets are tiny, fragranced pillows meant to freshen-up & stylize cars, sock drawers, and backpacks—or even serve as therapeutic stress-squeezers.

I have remodeled tags to be hand printed with acid-free, vegetable-based ink from a nontoxic formula. Tag paper is FSC endorsed, 100% recycled from Green Powered Technology. With an exponential growth in sales this year, almost $100 has been donated to The Nature Conservancy’s sustainable efforts in Brazil!

Several months ago, the Isla Vista Food Cooperative hosted CAJU’s first ever Pop-Up Show, where tons of my handmade, fragranced, and sustainable products were sold. The Pop-Up Show did so incredibly that the Co-Op is planning to sell CAJU pillows, blankets, and sachets on shelves in store this spring season!

CAJU has received an exciting amount of attention from the community, such as the beautiful article for Her Campus by Sydney Patterson—just published a few weeks ago. I owe the ever-growing success of CAJU to the perennial support of my friends and family, and the constant inspiration and advice from all of you.

The future for CAJU is extremely promising. I plan on veering from purchasing new, vegan, locally sourced fabrics to invest in vegan, locally sourced reused fabrics from trade stores. By reconstructing fabric, I hope to combat fast-fashion, or fast-fabric in this context. I also hope to partner with a local lavender farm to begin infusing pillows not just with essential oils, but with locally grown potpourri as well.​

Eileen Miller

I last interviewed Eileen in April 2017. To view her previous interview click here.

What new passions have you discovered this year?

New passions are all around new relationships and forming new friendships while savoring my old relationships.​ ​

What is your relationship with beauty? Has it changed over the year?

Beauty pretty much remains the same where I love the beauty of babies, people I love and admire , with perhaps even greater appreciation of the beauty of Morning skies, birds, the ocean and discovering unique beauty in all people. I look at people while working and I am struck by individuals' beauty and the colors they use in dress, accessories, hair color. ​

Nicole Merritt

I last interviewed Nicole in May 2017. To view her previous interview click here.

What new passions have you discovered this year?

Over the past year, I haven't discovered any new passions, but my love for writing has increased tenfold. All day long all I want to do is write, write, write. I have to remind myself that there are three (okay, four if we include the hubby) more important living beings that I need to be present for.​

What is your relationship with beauty? Has it changed over the year

My relationship with beauty has evolved to me aiming to seek out eat out of every single challenging and less than pleasurable moment. Life is full of apparent beauty, yes, but I am working on focusing on the beauty that lies beneath the chaos, which as a parent of three seems to be my norm.​

How has your blog grown//developed over the year?

My blog has grown immensely over the past year. At present, I regularly contribute to Scary Mommy, EverydayFamily, BLUNTmoms, Red Tricycle and The Good Men Project. I have also been published by Motherly, CafeMom, Elephant Journal, Sammiches & Psych. Meds, marriage.com and many others.​

Baily Rossi

I last interviewed Baily in May 2017. To view her previous interview click here.

What new passions have you discovered this year?

Cooking! I'm still developing my skills and trying to do it on a daily basis, but I absolutely love making meals for myself and other people. I believe the process is super artistic and self-expressive, so if anyone is searching for a healthy, creative outlet, make yourself a meal! It feels so accomplishing to eat something delicious you've created.​

What is your relationship with beauty? Has it changed over the year?

I wouldn't say my relationship with beauty has changed, but I have realized how much it shifts and changes with my perspective on life. Beauty seems to be something more trivial now, compared to other aspects of myself. Beauty too often dictates our self-esteem, and I think we should be working on much more important parts of ourselves.

Beauty is just a single part of our being; I'm working on appreciating my mind, my words, and my ability to help and relate to others. I think that's beautiful! ​

What have you been up to since graduating?

I just started substitute teaching at some local high schools, which has been exciting to say the least. I got into my top two graduate programs: UCSB and Boston University. I feel I'm at a deadlock in my life; I have to make this huge decision in less than a month and I really am not sure what is right for me. But, one day at a time! The answer will come when I am not searching for it.​

Olivia Doan

I last interviewed Olivia in June 2017. To view her previous interview click here.

What is your relationship with beauty and how has it changed over the year??

My relationship with beauty is constantly changing, but the main overview has stayed the same. I will always feel strongly towards this subject and how beauty standards are focused on all the wrong things. In conclusion, I believe with ALL of my heart, that a pretty person is no one without the incredible soul within that makes them truly beautiful. Everything else is nothing. N-o-t-h-I-n-g.​

Eileen Miller

Baily Rossi

Nicole Merritt

Olivia Doan

Dominga Silva Vicuña

Miranda de Moraes

Jenny Jimenez

Korina Day

Noëlle Reich

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In a sense, I like to think that my blog started years ago. As a child, I would fill notebook after notebook with short stories, poems, and descriptions of my travels and findings in the world. As an artist, I always looked for ways to promote my work in public and online. With these passions for writing and art I knew that eventually I wanted to create a platform dedicated to illuminating my thoughts. I was also aware of the many creative people around me; artists, designers, dreamers, doers, movers, shakers...people without a way to showcase their talents. I did not want to start a blog to merely exhibit the work I was creating, I wanted to go a step further than that and design series featuring the work and voices of the people who inspired me as well.

​It wasn’t until January 2017 that I started to seriously consider blogging as a way to share everything I had been doing for myself for years and collaborate with other talented individuals from around the world.​

Creative Duo: Lofty with Katie

​I dedicated the first 3 months of 2017 to developing content and researching what it would take to successfully launch a blog. I reached out to friends, family, and other bloggers for advice and took everything to heart. I spent time every day writing, and have continued this practice to this day. I had a goal in mind. I wanted to launch my blog on the Spring Equinox, March 22 2017. For me that day marks the moment in my life that things turned around for the better.

​Not only was the launch of my blog a success, but last Spring was a catalyst for my own self-growth. I suddenly felt motivated, inspired, and excited to be living a life that was mine. I had felt oppressed for a long time leading up to last March, and as the flowers began to bloom after much too long a winter, so did I.​

​Creativity takes courage. Genuine writing, personal writing, takes bravery. Blogging has been an endeavor in vulnerability and raw authenticity. Each week I present myself with the challenge to share a new aspect of myself through my writing, my art, and my photography. And for the past 52 Sundays I have taken on that challenge and have managed to continue to create new content weekly. With hundreds of blog posts behind me, I know there are hundreds more ahead.

Seattle with my friend, Emerson

This next year I hope to continue to figure out who I am and what I want as I simultaneously synthesize my life experiences through art and writing. I plan to learn more about children’s book writing and illustration. I hope to get published this year. I want to visit more museums, I want to travel more, and I want to continue to seek adventures with the people I love. I want to be filled with ideas. I want to be filled with inspiration. I want to be around creative people who talk about what ignites them. I want to have deep conversations and write about them. I want to paint, draw, style clothing, and create short films. I want to dream up new concepts and make them happen. I want to keep contacting artists and musicians and talk to them about things that matter. And I want to interact more with my audience and create content that YOU want to see.

If you have supported me over this past year, thank you. If this is your first time visiting my blog, thank you, I hope you come back soon. If you check in every week, thank you. If you have contributed or collaborated with me in any way, thank you. And if you would like to work together, please contact me!!

To everyone who has shared my writing, messaged me saying that something I wrote helped them, and contacted me with words of encouragement, I appreciate you all endlessly and none of this would be possible without you.​Here’s to celebrating my first year of blogging and many more!!

Cheers,

Annie Fay

Edge of the continent...in search of inspiration from the sea below...moment and memory captured by Claire.